David Marcelis: We’re a young band with quite some experience from past bands, such as BURN, Methusalem, Conquestador and various tribute bands. What I think is one of our qualities is the diversity of input genres and thereby the variation in and between our songs. Oh yeah, it’s definitely heavy metal, but there’s a lot of power metal and especially US power metal in there, as well as early thrash and speed metal influences.

MD : Why this band name, Lord Volture?

DM: The words “volt” from voltage in the name represents the strength and power in our music, but with a majestic and prestigious touch from the prefix “Lord”. All, however, with a rough edge, from the word “vulture”, as our music is raw, unpolished and in-your-face.MD : Some weeks ago I reviewed your album, and you know what, I fell in love with it. So, tell me more about its gestation?

LH: Well, very cool that you love this album. It has been released almost two weeks ago, but we started to work on it one year ago, as a band. David writes basically all the songs and after that we start rehearsing them with the band. Before the recordings, which commenced in March this year, we finalize the songs with the individual band members to add some details, like guitar riffs and leads. From March to May we recorded this album, it was a blast, and the result you have heard!

DM: Like Leon said, for me working on the Never Cry Wolf album began a bit earlier. As the recording project for our first album Beast Of Thunder took some years I had plenty of time to write new songs in the meanwhile. Actually, most songs on Never Cry Wolf were already written before we released Beast Of Thunder in June 2010. It gave us the opportunity to let the songs rest every once in a while and to slowly finalize them until we were completely satisfied.

MD : While listening to your hellish songs, I’ve noted they’re opted for a typical niche of heavy metal of 70’s and 80’s, is that so?

LH: That could be true! Yes, it is. The most of us are very influenced by the music of those eras and you can hear that in our music.

DM: That’s true for me as well. We’re all more or less into the great hardrock bands of the 70s, and 80s heavy and thrash metal. Our drummer Frank is the only one who’s major influences are not really from that era but a bit more modern and also from other genres than metal.

MD : Could you tell us about the songs and their songwriting process?

DM: I usually get an idea in my head for a riff or melody and then I rush home to elaborate on that idea and write the basic parts of the song. Then over a period of weeks or months I gradually add parts and structure, as well as vocals and lyrics. I always start with the instrumental foundations and add lyrics at the last moment. Though from the start I have a feeling of how the vocals should sound and which parts will be choruses, which verses etcetera. So far I really like the way we work, because I can put in the best I’ve got and work on all instruments. Then when we start rehearsing and recording the songs the other guys suddenly bring in a lot of variations and exciting ideas I never guessed. That’s awesome!

LH: Yes, and after Paul and me add some final touch details, like guitar leads and solos of course. My solos are mostly improvised in the studio. Sometimes I create some ideas for solos at home, like that I know where I want to go in the studio. I like this spontaneous swing during the long and intensive recording progress. It keeps you fresh, sharp and delivers surprises.

DM: Yeah, the credits for the guitar solos are 100% Leon and Paul’s. I only tell them where in the songs to play solos, haha.MD : Do you feel that Heavy Metal (by essence) is too repetitive, too marked, and how to avoid these dangers?

DM: I do not think at all that this is true. Yes, there are many typical songwriting styles in heavy metal, as are there in any kind of music. What I think is nice of metal in general is that there are countless number of subgenres. To combine the best elements of all is what we try to do. Besides, I think it is not necessarily bad if a band plays music that is not renewing. The only thing that really counts is that the music gives people something positive, and adds value to life.

MD : What are your biggest influences that give an input to your own musical style?

MD : The voice of David Marcelis is incredible and hypnotic. Is it innate?

DM: Haha, no, I’d wish! I started singing when I was at the age of thirteen because I wanted to be in a band but I couldn’t play an instrument. Initially I was just screaming and shouting, but gradually my taste for music changed in the direction of Judas Priest and related artists and I slowly gained a better control, especially of the higher registers. What I think some people do not like about my way of singing is that it is too direct, extreme and passionate. But at the same time that is also my strength. People who like it over the top won’t be disappointed.

MD : Your Album “Never Cry Wolf” is “Dantesque” in its production and execution. What will be your next step to take? Coverage of a major magazine? Tour alongside Judas or Accept? Tell me what would be your absolute dream?

DM: I hope we’ll release or at least record our third album in 2012 and yeah, we have big touring plans. The most important thing for me is to persevere and to never do anything we do not 100% stand for. We aim for the sky, but we don’t have to reach it over night. We will expand LORD VOLTURE’s empire slowly but unquestionably with each live concert and each album.

LH: David is right, but we would obviously not hesitate a moment if we’d get the chance to tour as support for Iron Maiden, HammerFall or Judas Priest!MD : Do you make living with your music?

LH: Yes, I’m currently studying at the Rock academy in Tilburg and music is my profession.

DM: Our drummer Frank is studying drums and music, but besides Leon and Frank the other band members make a living by other means. Paul (guitars) is a student of law, whereas Simon is employed as a consultant. I’m doing a PhD study on satellite radar sensors for usage in earth observation. So, we’re all quite busy and put all of our spare time in LORD VOLTURE.

MD :Do you think the hacking may remove a part of your work? are you for or against the illegal downloads?

LH: For and against. It sounds silly, but it’s true. For us, it has good and bad point. Because we are a quite new group, it helps us spreading our music on the net, but without selling our albums this group will not survive…

DM:
Judas Priest – Painkiller
Cage – Hell Destroyer
Iced Earth – Night of the Stormrider
Halford – Resurrection
Savatage – Gutter BalletMD: After Jeff Waters (guest in your first album Beast Of Thunder) and Sean Peck of Cage in this new album… so do you have some other name we’ll hear in your next one…?

DM: We definitely do not want to make it a “have to” to get a famous guest musician on our albums, but in both cases of Jeff and Sean we had the opportunity and we took it. So let’s see who comes on our path next. Maybe a guitar player from one of the great Bay Area Thrash bands, maybe a godlike heavy metal singer like Peck…

LH: Bjorn Ciggaar from BURN!

MD : Who is, to your opinion, the greatest singer of Heavy Metal of all time?

LH: Ronnie James Dio

DM: Rob Halford, no doubt about that, he is the inventor of the metal voice.

MD : Your near future? a tour?

LH: Yeah, we hope to tour Germany, Belgium and Finland of course in the near future!

DM: Czech Republic is also on our agenda, as well as maybe Poland or countries around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Italy and Spain.

MD : Now I leave to you the last word, in thanking you for this sympathetic interview…

DM: Thank you Mel for the interview and the review. I hope your readers will like our album as much as you do and hope to meet you all live someday!